Latest Stories from Charlie
Heinz unveils Fortnite island to highlight soil degradation
Tomato and bean producer Heinz has unveiled a new community-built Fortnite island that highlights soil degradation. Named ‘S.O.S Tomato Island’, players will be able to explore a reconstructed Heinz tomato farm. Fancy learning more about Heinz tomato production? Need an excuse to jump back into the marketing juggernaut that is Fortnite? Heinz has announced a new playable community-built island called ‘S.O.S Tomato Island’, where players can learn about soil degradation...
Spotify is pivoting toward short-form video content
Music streaming platform Spotify has announced a newly designed user interface that prioritises short-form video and quick preview snippets. It is the latest app to follow TikTok’s design model. Spotify is rolling out a new user interface that focuses on short-form video content. Previous iterations of the app displayed albums, songs, podcasts, and playlists as stacked tiles fixed to your home screen. The updated interface will instead offer an endless,...
TikTok imposes sixty minutes screen time limit for teens
Teenagers under the age of 18 in the US must now type a password into TikTok after sixty minutes of daily use if they want to continue. It comes as the platform faces a possible ban and mounting privacy concerns. Young people in the US will have to input a password if they want to continue using TikTok after an hour of daily use, the platform has announced. A further prompt...
Gen Z are spending more time on TikTok than any other app
Data by Measure Protocol has found that Gen Z spends the most time on TikTok compared to any other app. However, only 83% of teens use TikTok compared to 87% on Instagram. Here’s some news that is neither shocking nor surprising. Research by Measure Protocol has found that Gen Z spend most of their time on TikTok compared to other social media apps by quite some margin. Those aged between...
Does the post-apocalypse shooter ‘The Day Before’ really exist?
‘The Day Before’ has been billed as a massive online post-apocalypse zombie shooter. It is the second most wish-listed game on Steam and has lapped up serious levels of hype. There’s only one catch – nobody is sure if it actually exists. When I mention video game disasters, what comes to mind? Most of us would probably list buggy, unplayable games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Fallout 76 as the biggest...
Spotify lays off 6% of work force in latest tech cuts
Music streaming platform Spotify is to cut 6% of its 10,000 employee work force, after hiring aggressively over the pandemic period. It is line with other tech companies who have stripped back their workforces. Spotify will be letting 6% of its work force go after major cuts to improve company ‘efficiency’. CEO Daniel Ek has said that he was ‘too ambitious’ and expanded the company too quickly. It follows similar...
Study shows most musicians can’t afford equipment
New research by charity Help Musicians says that over 90% of all musicians can no longer afford equipment to perform live shows. Being a musician is a tough ordeal in the age of streaming. Most consumers aren’t buying CDs or vinyl, with touring and merchandise usually serving as the main sources of income for most independent artists. Now, new research suggests that things are worse than first thought. A study...
Study says Gen Z have become loneliest generation
Despite assumptions that older generations are lonely, new research suggests young people struggle the most with feelings of isolation. Balancing between real and digital life has become increasingly tougher too, the study says. New research suggests that Generation Z are now the ‘loneliest generation’. It’s believed that the pandemic, lockdowns, an emphasis on digital life, and rising costs of living are having a detrimental effect on the mental wellbeing of young...
Students build fastest ever solar-powered car Sunswift 7
Engineering students at the University of New South Wales Sydney have built a solar-powered race car that has broken records. It is the first of its kind to cover 621 miles in under 12 hours. Who says electric vehicles have to be slow? With constant advancements in the green vehicle industry, we’re seeing rapid improvements to the look, performance, and durability of cars that run entirely on clean energy. The...
Epic Games pays $520 million for child privacy violations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Epic Games on Monday on grounds of illegal personal data handling. Epic Games has agreed to pay £520 million in penalties and refunds. Epic Games, publisher of popular games like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys, has agreed to pay over $520 million in legal fees over alleged mishandling of customer privacy. CNN first reported that Epic Games was charged with...
